Connector device



Patented Apr. 9, 1940 PATENT vOFFICE.

CONNECTOR DEVICE Arthur M.v Draving, philadelphia, ra., assigner to Hugh H. Eby, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 20, 1937, Serial No. 154,647

6 Claims.

It is an object of my invention to provide a tube socket or the like that may be fabricated without the use of rivets for holding the insulating plates together.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tube socket or the like that shall necessitate the use of much less insulating material than tube sockets heretofore known.

Another object of my invention is to provide,

in a tube socket or the like, means for partially shielding the contact elements.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tube socket or the like that may firmlyv be affixed to a radio receiver chassis without the use rof rivets.

A still further and more specific object of my invention is to provide, in a tube socket of the laminated type, means having the double function of holding the laminations in place and of permitting the socket to be expeditiously and cheaply mounted on a radio receiver chassis.

A 4socket constructed according to my invention is constituted by a plurality of perforated plates of insulating material, preferably circular, supported from a metallic collar or the like, which collar is provided with integral means for maintaining the plates in fixed superposed parallel position and with additional means for so index ing the said plates that the perforations therethrough remain in alignment. A plurality of female contact elements are provided, one for each opening through the stacked plates. The type of element is substantially immaterial.

The collar may be provided with a depending portion having such configuration that the device in its entirety may be snapped into place into a pre-formed opening through a radio receiver chassis or it may be provided with a plurality of laterally extending perforated ears whereby the socket may be riveted to a chassis. In either form of my improved socket, insulating material, which costs much less than the metallic collar, is reduced to a minimum.

Further, in accordance with my invention, the female contact elements per se are made rectangular or oval in cross section and the perforations in the lowermost plate are correspondingly shaped, whereby the said contact elements are secured against rotation around their longitudinal axes.

The novel features that I consider characteristie of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, itself, however, both as to its 'organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be 'understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical cross section of a socket constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view in perspective of the socket exemplified by Fig. 1, showing as well a fragmentary portion of a radio receiver chassis.

Fig. 3 is a' view in vertical cross section of a preferred embodiment of my invention, and

Fig. 4 is an exploded view in perspective of the device exemplified by Fig. 3.

In all figures of the drawing equivalent parts are similarly designated. I

A Referring now to Fig. l of the drawing, my improved socket may be constituted by an upper plate I of insulating material provided with a plurality of round prong-receiving perforations 3 and a lower plate 5 of insulating material also provided with a corresponding number of perforations l. A prong-receiving contact element 9, shown as rectangular in cross-section, extends downwardly through each perforation in the lower plate.

Each of the contact elements may have one or more bent-over ears I I, at its upper end, which ears are firmly held between the two plates.-

'I'he upper plate yis provided with a plurality of radial projections I3 which-correspond with analogous projections I5 on the lower plate. For the purpose of holding the plates together and of retaining the contact element ears firmly clasped between them, I surround the plates by a collar Il, which collar is provided -witha plurality of bays I9 corresponding in number to the projections on the plates, into which bays the said projections fit in order that the alignment of the openings may be maintained.

The collar has a plurality of downwardly extending portions 2I having free ends 23, which ends,'after the socket is assembled, are slightly bent inwardly toward the axis of the socket, as illustrated, in order to hold the insulating plates firmly in position.

In addition, each of the downwardly extending portions has a struck-out element or catch for a purpose later to be referred to. t

Referring more specifically to Fig. 1, when my improved socket device is pressed downwardly into an opening 21 in a metallic plate 29, such as a radio chassis or the like, the downwardly extending portions 2| of the collar flex inwardly slightly and, after the struck-out elements 25 thereof have passed by the edge of the opening they snap outwardly and hold the socket against accidental withdrawal. The bays I9, projecting radially, extend slightly over the edge of the opening and support the socket against further downward movement.

It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 2 of the drawing that the chassis opening is provided with an inwardly projecting lug 3l. This lug may be caused to enter the space beneath either one of the three bays i9 of the collar, between the inwardly bent portions 23, in order to secure the entire socket against rotation and to orient it in any one of three positions.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, in some instances it may be desirable to dispense with the depending portions 2| of the clamping collar and, instead, to provide the said collar with two laterally extending perforated ears 33 for mounting purposes. When, therefore. the said depending portions are omitted. they are replaced by a plurality of small tongues 35 that extend downward from the collar, which tongues, after the plates are placed in position, are bent inwardly and upwardly against the lower plate. Otherwise, the device shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is the same as that exemplied by Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be noted from an inspection of the drawing that both of the plates of insulating material are provided with a central majorperforation 3l into which merges an eccentrically disposed minor perforation 39. These perforations are for the purpose of accommodating the centering pin now being used on many radio tube bases; it is not to be inferred that they are an essential feature of my invention.

From the foregoing description of several embodiments off-my invention, it will be apparent that it offers advantages not attainable by similar devices heretofore known. That is to say, since the insulating material is minimized, my improved socket is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and its assembly does not entail a great expenditure of labor.

In addition, the plate-retaining collar. serves, to some extent, to shield the contact elements against stray electromagnetic fields. That function, however, is secondary to the function of permitting a reduction in the amount of expensive insulating material.

Although I have shown my improved socket as being particularly adapted for use in radio receivers, it is not to be inferred that it is limited thereto. On the contrary, it is susceptible of many other uses, as for example, in connectors of the type usually utilized in radio receivers for power-supply purposes and the like.

I am fully aware that many modifications of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture; a socket comprising an upper plate of insulating material, a lower plate of insulating material in juxtaposition thereto, the plates being provided with aligned openings, a plurality of contact elements depending from the lower plate in alignment, respectively, with the openings therethrough, a collar encircling said plates, said collar being provided with at least one bay, the plates each being provided with at least one radial extension disposed in said bay, the collar being provided with" portions extending below the lower plate and each portion being provided with a struck out catch whereby when the socket is inserted into a preformed opening in a radio chassis or the like, the struck out catches will pass the edge of the opening and snap outwardly to hold the socket against accidental withdrawal, the bay on the collar being struck'outwardly from the circumferential surface thereof to provide stop means for the socket when inserted into an opening in a radio chassis or the like.

2. In sockets a metal collar comprising a cylindrical element, a substantially radially longitudinally extending bay being formed in the cylin drical element toward one end thereof and terminating in spaced relation to the other end of said element so as to form a radially extending external stop for the element, means integral with the collar forming an axial stop for insulating means in the collar, the cylindrical element beyond the bay having a longitudinal slot axially aligned with the bay to permit a radially outwardly directed lug on an insulating support to pass axially of the element to entry into the bay, said element adjacent to said slot being bent inwardly to form a secondary axial stop for such insulating support.

3. In sockets a metal collar comprising a cylindrical element, a substantially radially longitudinally extending bay being formed in the cylindrical element toward one end thereof and terminating in spaced relation to the other end of said element so as to form a radially extending external stop for the element, means integral with the collar forming an axial stop for insulating means in the collar, the cylindrical element beyond the bay having a longitudinal slot axially aligned with the bay to permit a radially outwardly directed lug on an insulating support to pass axially of the element to entry into the bay, said element adjacent to said slot being bent inwardly to form a secondary axial stop for such insulating support, said element beyond the bay having an external resilient tongue spaced axially from the lower edge of said bay a predetermined distance to engage under a plate of thickness substantially the same as said predetermined distance While dhe bay abuts the upper surface thereof.

4. In sockets a metal collar comprising a cylindrical element, a substantially radially longitudinally extending bay being formed in the cylindrical element toward one end thereof and terminating in spaced relation to the other end of said element so as to form a radially extending external stop for the element, means integral with the collar forming an axial stop for insulating means in the collar, the cylindrical element beyond the bay having a longitudinal slot axially aligned with the bay to permit a radially outwardly directed lug on an insulating support to pass axially of the element to entry into the bay, said element adjacent to said slot being bent inwardly to form a secondary axial stop for such insulating support, and a cylindrical insulating contact support having a radial external ear arranged to be pushed axially into the collar with the ear guided in the notch and into the bay to abutment against the rst mentioned axial stop in the collar, said insulating support of such axial thickness as to be engaged by the inwardly bent secondary stop to anchor the insulating support in the collar against either axial or angular relative movement.

5. In sockets in combination a mounting panel having a round aperture with a substantially .of the panel to limit the movement of the collar in one direction, said collar having a notch aligned with the bay to facilitate entry of the ear of an ear-carrying insulating support element disposed in the collar, and also to receive the tongue when the collar enters the aperture in the panel to prevent rotation of the collar in the panel, said collar also having a struck out catch whereby when the Socket is inserted into said aperture said catch will pass the edge of said aperture and snap outwardly to hold the collar against accidental withdrawal.

6. In sockets in combination a mounting panel having a round aperture with a substantially radial tongue extending into the aperture, a cylindrical collar of a diameter such as to enter the aperture and having a radial external bay toward one end arranged to abut the surface of the panel to limit the movement of the collar in one direction, said collar having a notch aligned with the bay .to facilitate entry of the ear of an ear-carrying insulating support element disposed in the collar, and also to receive the tongue when the collar enters the aperture in the panel to prevent rotation of the collar in the panel, and integral means on the collar arranged to engage the under side of the panel when the bay abuts the opposite side of the panel, to lock the collar against axial movement relative to the panel.

ARTHUR M. DRAVING. 

